Product Description

A wise and compassionate guide to getting successfully through one of the most expensive and stressful fertility treatments. Despite the fact that it is an expensive, complex, emotionally draining, and often last-ditch fertility treatment, there are now over 250,000 couples who consider in vitro fertilization (IVF) every year; more than 125,000 couples decide to undergo it. While dry, clinical information is available, there is a gaping need for sisterly advice from someone who's been through the process herself.From evaluating care and preparing for the complicated process to understanding egg retrieval and embryo transfer; from tips on taking medications and coping with hormonal surges to dealing with the emotional aspects of the grueling IVF process, Liza Charlesworth's The Couple's Guide to In Vitro Fertilization offers knowing, sensitive counsel. Full of hard-won personal wisdom and the most up-to-date medical information explained in layman's terms, this invaluable guide is sure to become recommended reading for couples trying to conceive and their families alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145794 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 312 pages

Customer Reviews

Good Info, But Trite and Patronising
I bought this book as it's my third time in IVF and was hoping for a bit more insight. Although she has good wit and the reading is insightful with regards to the procedures themselves, the author comes across as patronising-i.e. one shouldn't drink while taking protocol drugs "in case they miss an appointment", and the constant yammering of the needs for bed rest. And for those of us who are in the roller coaster of IVF, the book comes across as all too positive-nearly everyone in the book winds up conceiving. All the women are happy parents and they all have beautiful healthy babies. If this is the case, the author really is in a dream world-as an IVF'er, I know far too many women that never did manage to conceive, who never did find their dream. The author somehow implies that if you follow all the guidelines, you'll make it! It'll be great! But nowhere do I find the sense that there is an alternative to this fragil process, one that no on in her book has to be confronted with.

This book is a MUST for anyone considering IVF
I am amazed that no one else has written a review of the book. I read this book before my husband and I decided to do IVF in August 2004 and we found it an excellent source of information, wise guidance and emotional support. I frankly found the information that I was getting from my fertility specialist to be scrambled in acronyms and abbreviations. This book helped me understand the process, costs, the risks and chances of success. I took much of its advice on board and, at 38 years old, after one IVF cycle, we are pregnant with twins. Good luck and best wishes to anyone trying IVF. This book will definately increase your chances of success.

Super book but US bias
This was a really good book as we are embarking on an IVF attempt. The book goes through various stages of treatment and explains how the treatment works. I really liked the book because it dealt with many issues that couples should consider early on in their treatment, some of which are very difficult decisions. By reading about others who faced the same decisions and how they came to their conclusions it has helped me in deciding which course to take. The book is very informative and helpful and is also written in a personal way. The only criticism of the book is that it does have a US bias although I really recommend that the rest of the book should be read for its own merits.